ZIP code
55731
in Ely, MinnesotaPopulation 5,361
54.83/ 100
Ranked #9,657 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 30%)
Ranked #351 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (top 41%)
Ranked #23 of 65 Duluth, MN-WI ZIPs (top 35%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
What defines this ZIP
Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.
Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 0.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Park land
67.4%
in the top 1.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
6.4%
in the top 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
27.2 mi
in the top 2.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
10 per million
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Walkability
1.1 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 3.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
8.7%
in the bottom 6.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
9.1 days/year
in the bottom 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
70.6 mi
in the top 6.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›The read
Ely, Minnesota (ZIP 55731), on the composite measure, lands in the top 30% healthiest ZIPs nationally (9,657th) and the top 41% of Minnesota (351st), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The profile cuts both ways, and the readings bear that out: modeled industrial-pollution burden sits in the bottom 0.2% nationally, park land registers in the top 1.3% nationally, and distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands in the top 2.5% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk resides in the bottom 2.8% nationally. Distance to an emergency room lies at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled pfas settles in the bottom 6.2% nationally, and humid heat stands in the bottom 6.3% nationally. Working the other way, modeled energy burden is in the top 1.9% nationally, and walkability rests in the bottom 3.0% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss sits in the top 4.0% nationally.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 55603, just across the boundary.
What’s driving this score
Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts. Compare it against the US, this state and the Duluth, MN-WI metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 88%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 70%
8%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 48%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 49%
14%
Disability
healthier than 54%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 20%
16%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 81%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 93%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 81%
8%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 83%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Disability
healthier than 21%
7%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 79%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 96%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 78%
8%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 44%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 18%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 11%
14%
Disability
healthier than 32%
7%
“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›
Findings that name this ZIP
One of our published findings lists this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Above what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 80.7 ± 1.5 years. A median household income of $62,008 predicts 78.2 years — 2.5 years above.
Ranked #632 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
55603
Minnesotashares a border
Score 60.03
Closest healthier
55604
Minnesotashares a border
Score 61.80
Similar health profile
13865
New York98% similar profile
Score 54.71
How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured
Evidence
Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.
Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 30.3% | 27.4–33.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.2% | 34.0–40.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.6% | 10.5–12.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.0–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.7% | 7.7–9.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.6% | 6.4–8.8 |
| Depression among adults | 23.2% | 20.2–26.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.2% | 11.5–15.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.5% | 33.3–39.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.3% | 30.8–40.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 7.9% | 6.6–9.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.5% | 5.2–8.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 82.2% | 79.7–84.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.4% | 75.3–81.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.7% | 86.0–89.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 73.3% | 69.9–76.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.4% | 62.7–68.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.8% | 76.4–84.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.4% | 13.9–19.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.6% | 12.1–17.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.6% | 21.1–28.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.8% | 28.4–35.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.6% | 16.0–21.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.5% | 12.8–16.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.7% | 12.0–15.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.5% | 10.9–14.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.6% | 28.9–36.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.5–10.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.8% | 6.8–9.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.6% | 13.5–18.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.4–4.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.1–5.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.3% | 17.7–23.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 8.6–12.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.2% | 6.5–10.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 6.4–9.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 6.0–8.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.8% | 27.4–34.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.2% | 4.4–6.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.2% (2.3–12.7%) n=872 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.5% (2.2–11.2%) n=873 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 40.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872 |
| Households without a vehicle | 10.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.4% (0.4–9.1%) n=871 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (81.6–95.3%) n=871 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 28.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.9% (67.0–94.0%) n=871 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.9%) n=871 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873 |
| Single-parent households | 76.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870 |
| Population 65+ | 36.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873 |
| Median age | 60.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873 |
| Median household income | $62,008 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864 |
| Median home value | $206,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857 |
| Median gross rent | $644 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $925 ($650–$1,588) n=759 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 80.7 yr ± 0.74 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 81.1 yr (78.3–84.8) n=864 |
About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 0.74 years of 80.7, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.
More ZIPs to explore ▾More ZIPs to explore ▴
How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured